UF golfer Luke Poulter eager to display flair for match play

GAINESVILLE — UF golfer Luke Poulter has match play in his DNA and the British Isles in his blood.

The combination earned him a spot in this weekend’s 50th Walker Cup, amateur golf’s ultimate team competition. 

Poulter grew up in Lake Nona, the son of Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter of England — where Luke was born, lived until he was 4 and visits every summer. The 21-year-old showed up this week at the storied Cypress Point Club with his accent fully intact, his golf game trending and his mind set to help the Great Britain-Ireland side shock a stacked U.S. squad.

“That’s how it should be. It’ll feel normal,” he recently told the Orlando Sentinel. “Home, I would technically class is here, but my heart’s in England.”

Luke Poulter has developed a game that travels during the past year after he returned from a back injury sidelining him for seven months.

“What he’s accomplished in the past year is monumental,” Gators coach JC Deacon told the Sentinel Thursday. “He had faith in himself and faith in his game and a belief that it was all gonna work out. He’s busted his ass, and he’s reaping the rewards.

“It’s pretty awesome to see.”

A spot with the GB&I squad at the Walker Cup became inevitable as Poulter rose to No. 27 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Among the highlights of the spring was his first collegiate win in March during the Schenkel Invitational and a fourth-place showing at the NCAA Bremerton Regional west of Seattle.

Stealing a page from his father’s playbook, Poulter also showed him match-play bonafides going 3-0 during the Gators’ SEC Championship win, the second in three years for Deacon’s program.

“He prides himself on kind of the family’s lineage of match play success,” Deacon said. “Luke might have a little gift, like his old man in match play.”

Few have been better in the format than Ian Poulter, a thorn in the U.S. team’s side and a stellar 6-0-1 in singles matches (15-8-2 overall) during the Ryder Cup.

“He’s got that fight in him,” his son said.

The elder Poulter, now 49, displayed his determination every step of the way. The native of Hitchin, a London suburb, was just 4-handicap who obtained a PGA certification before he eventually earned his card at European Tour qualifying school. 

He would go on to win 12 times in Europe, three times on the PGA Tour and four times on Asian and Australasian tours.

“It’s pretty cool,” Luke Poulter said of his father’s unique path.

Poulter’s golf journey has been smoother, given dad’s resources and connections, yet has featured its share of obstacles.

This time last year, he faced an uncertain future because of a back injury. But he returned to train harder, practice smarter and perform better than ever.

This weekend, Poulter hoped the best was yet to come.

The GB&I team is a decided underdog against a US side with the top six amateurs, led by Auburn’s Jackson Koivun.

At No. 10, England’s Tyler Weaver, the 2024 ACC Freshman of the Year at Florida State, leads the way, followed by Northwestern’s Cameron Adam, at No. 17, Poulter and England’s Dominic Clemons (No. 35).

“Our team on paper isn’t as good as the U.S.” Poulter said. “But I feel we’re all very much as good as them.”

No one was better than Poulter leading up to the matches.

During Thursday’s practice round, he holed out for eagle on No 1, a short par-4 331-yarder. He then made a hole-in-one on No. 3, a 149-yard par-3.

“Crazy start to his week,” Deacon said.

With family, including his grandfather in from England, and friends looking on, Poulter was ready to enter the match-play cauldron.

“I just love it. It’s super fun,” he said. “Just that head-to-head battle is great.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]

50th Walker Cup